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ATLANTA -- An HIV-positive man, desperate for a cure, says he spent more than $18,000 on a spiritual advisor who claimed she had religious healing powers.

The man, who didn't want to be identified, told Channel 2 Action News that the advisor, who calls herself "Mrs. Helen," promised that she could cure him, too.

He contacted Channel 2 to complain that the advisor had taken his money.Over a period of several months, the man told Channel 2 that Mrs. Helen took cash and performed bizarre candlelight rituals with the money.

"She took nine $100 dollar bills, had me lay in the middle of the floor and she would put a candle on each $100 bill,” the man said. "She'd crack eggs on the table, and say look, there's the serpent that I just drew out of you,” he said.

The man said his diagnosis never changed. Broke and fed up, he called Channel 2 to expose Mrs. Helen with the help of a hidden camera and microphone. The man said he told her that he wanted to continue the healing process. Mrs. Helen said it would cost him another $10,000."Lord, I rebuke this sickness," she prayed with the man.

“I’m not going to worry about it, because I know the Holy Spirit is not going to leave us like this,” said Mrs. Helen.

The executive director of AIDS Atlanta expressed outrage."It's completely immoral obviously to take advantage of someone like this," said Tracey Elliot with AIDS Atlanta.

"Obviously if you were a spiritual person and cared about helping someone through a diseased state, you wouldn't take $18,000 of their money," said Elliot.

Channel 2 Action News reporter Tom Regan went to confront Mrs. Helen, whose real name is Helen Johnson."I'm Tom Regan from Channel 2 Action News. Did you tell this man you could cure his AIDS if he paid you $10,000? Did you tell him that?” Regan asked.

Mrs. Helen closed the door on Regan, but our hidden camera was still rolling inside.“It's not very nice what you’re doing," said Mrs. Helen to the man.

“It's not nice what you did to me. You took my money you manipulated me,” the man said.

Atlanta police told Channel 2 Action News that Mrs. Helen did not break any laws. But the man who gave her $18,600 on the promise of being cured of AIDS, is now suing her in Fulton County court in hopes of getting his money back.

That is what I would call a very expensive lesson in the finality of HIV. You get HIV, you don't get rid of it. Unless MS. Helen has taken up bone marrow transplants. Of course, $18,600 might get her some ads on cable tv. She could be the next psycho friends network. For $3.99 a minute they tell you what you want to hear. Not unlike certain elected officials.

Sadly, $18,600 would pay 3 years of insurance premiums for health insurance for someone with HIV through the Texas Risk Pool.

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Don't obsess over the wrong things. Life isn't about your numbers, it isn't about this forum, it isn't about someone's opinion. It's about getting out there and enjoying it. I am a person with HIV - not the other way around.

What? That people can be so stupid as to give away their money to a con artist?!?! That happens nearly every day with internet scams and that's why we're all spammed to death - because people are idiots and scams work.

We have people here all the time with tcells <100 and VL >100,000 who, against all medical data, think they don't need to take meds, so I'm not surprised some fool would continue throwing good money after bad to some "spiritualist" without seeing any results. I've never had any pity for idiots like the "victim" here (a fool and his money are soon departed). With the internet now, if you don't do the research and follow some lame excuse for a "cure", then losing your money like this is no one's fault but your own.

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leatherman (aka mIkIE)

All the stars are flashing high above the seaand the party is on fire around you and meWe're gonna burn this disco down before the morning comes- Pet Shop Boys chart from 1992-2015Isentress/Prezcobix

Aww nawww! And here I sat hoping to invest my returns from the money that I loaned to that Nigerian prince on Mrs. Helen's miracle cure.

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"I have tried hard--but life is difficult, and I am a very useless person. I can hardly be said to have an independent existence. I was just a screw or a cog in the great machine I called life, and when I dropped out of it I found I was of no use anywhere else."

While I find the it hard to believe the "victim" was foolish enough to fall for such a ruse in this day and age, I find it even harder to believe the faith charlatan perpetrator was found to have committed no crime. Isn't misrepresenting services and charging money for such services a form of fraud? Isn't obtaining money by deception a crime? Sounds more like they can't be bothered to prosecute.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Excuse me if I bruise anyone's religious sensibilties but how is this different from the Church of Scientology in which you pay thousands of dollars to free yourself of "engrams" and become "an Operating Thetan, who is a spirit who can control matter, energy, space, time, thought, and life."

My thankfully exboyfriend told me a passionate steamy but temporary true love affaire would cure his AIDS, and even pressured me to take money from my dying father to support his "cure". I was then negative, and hopelessly naive! Thing is, I think he truly believed that crock of shit. People with HIV can be quite desperate. This forum provides a good reality check so I just accept the facts and deal reasonably. People get lost out there. I feel really bad for this person. Easy to call him a fool, but what else led to this delusion?

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“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

I think that is a cynical view of human nature, not without some validity. But can't you hold contradictory views in your head for a moment? A victim doesn't always choose to be a victim. We've seen some lost souls in this forum recently, deluded. So, we should just say, "hey, deluded victim, get lost, loser!"

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“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

People get lost out there. I feel really bad for this person. Easy to call him a fool, but what else led to this delusion?

What else led him to Channel 2 action news? He's living in the Continental US, not the highlands of Papua New Guinea.

He was ripped off because he chose to be.

MtD

I'd have to disagree. Does anyone honestly "choose" or allow themselves to be ripped off? This subject is obviously not dealing with his dianosis in a rational way and dealing with a weakend psychological condition.

Maybe:1) He's boderline intelligence.2) Or he is desperate, or mentally ill, and not in his right mind.3) Voodoo or other creole faith could be part of his upbringing.4) He didn't discuss this cure with anyone, nobody had a chance to knock some sense into him.5) Public education in his community has failed. Why in the USA would this be possible?

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“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Isn't obtaining money by deception a crime? Sounds more like they can't be bothered to prosecute.

the article only gives one quote from the police. Did the "victim" even go to the police, or straight to the TV news reported to get his "justice"? (Once again, an incomplete sets of facts presented which makes our armchair observations not very accurate) He will probably have a hard time proving his case in court too, as he had ample time, and a doctor's advice (implied by his testing) that his HIV was NOT being cured, and yet he continued to return several more times and paid out more money, rather than file charges.

We've seen some lost souls in this forum recently, deluded. So, we should just say, "hey, deluded victim, get lost, loser!"

Leatherman agrees with Matty. This is 2010, this dude needs to spend some $$ on an internet connection and do some reading about HIV/AIDS rather than throwing money at a non-medical non-licensed fraud. If he had come by here, you know I would have chatted with the guy and laid some FACTS on him.

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leatherman (aka mIkIE)

All the stars are flashing high above the seaand the party is on fire around you and meWe're gonna burn this disco down before the morning comes- Pet Shop Boys chart from 1992-2015Isentress/Prezcobix

Maybe:1) He's boderline intelligence.2) Or he is desperate, or mentally ill, and not in his right mind.3) Voodoo or other creole faith could be part of his upbringing.4) He didn't discuss this cure with anyone, nobody had a chance to knock some sense into him.5) Public education in his community has failed. Why in the USA would this be possible?

Or maybe he's a twit who chose to fall for the predations of a faith healer. Really, check out the folk who roll their wheelchairs into a Benny Hinn gathering.

Maybe:1) He's boderline intelligence.2) Or he is desperate, or mentally ill, and not in his right mind.3) Voodoo or other creole faith could be part of his upbringing.4) He didn't discuss this cure with anyone, nobody had a chance to knock some sense into him.5) Public education in his community has failed. Why in the USA would this be possible?

Or maybe he's a twit who chose to fall for the predations of a faith healer. Really, check out the folk who roll their wheelchairs into a Benny Hinn gathering.

Ockham's Razor and all that.

MtD

Or maybe he suffers from a psychotic disorder called folie a deux in which this supposed healer acted as the folee imposee. (forgive me for the lack of accent marks).

South Park had it right when the said the cure for aids was liquified money. I agree. But I'm smart and see the irony in it all. All I was trying to say is that yeah, its a pity he didn't have someone or somewhere to knock some sense into him. Leatherman hits it when he says the reporting doesnt tell us all the story so I guess we'll never know.

A sucker born every minute WC Fields, ok. Is that all there is? Peggy Lee

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“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Well how about this. Why don't you and Mecch prove to the rest of us that this wretch is a psychotic voodoo practicing creole with little "public education"?

Until then I maintain that he should be grateful the rotten wench only took him for 18 large.

MtD

The key to rationality is the ability to analyze. Obviously, this person was not operating rationaly when he chose to go to a healer. A psychological disorder will prohibit someone from acting rationaly. Some have mentioned how can anyone today make such a stupid decision with so much information on the internet. Perhaps he did use the internet. However, someone who is not thinking rationaly would only use the internet to prove his/her decision is the right one. Whereas, someone like you and I would also look for information disproving our decision. Our ability to think rationaly and our ability to analyze the data we researched would allow us to make the correct decision, therefore leading to a pleasable outcome, hopefully.

The mind and thought process is much more difficult than your simple analysis without knowing all the facts.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

The key to rationality is the ability to analyze. Obviously, this person was not operating rationaly when he chose to go to a healer. A psychological disorder will prohibit someone from acting rationaly. Some have mentioned how can anyone today make such a stupid decision with so much information on the internet. Perhaps he did use the internet. However, someone who is not thinking rationaly would only use the internet to prove his/her decision is the right one. Whereas, someone like you and I would also look for information disproving our decision. Our ability to think rationaly and our ability to analyze the data we researched would allow us to make the correct decision, therefore leading to a pleasable outcome, hopefully.

The mind and thought process is much more difficult than your simple analysis without knowing all the facts.

Dennis,

Seriously babe, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

With the greatest respect you just don't make no sense here, mang. It's a jumble of non-sequiturs and logical fallacies.

Girls, Girls! You're both pretty. Let's just stop arguing and agree he made a bad decision whether it was due to psychosis or stupidity who knows. This Charlatan gladly defrauded him however which is the real crime.

Girls, Girls! You're both pretty. Let's just stop arguing and agree he made a bad decision whether it was due to psychosis or stupidity who knows. This Charlatan gladly defrauded him however which is the real crime.

Or let's not.

Matty the Damned is 6'4" and weighs in at well over 250 lbs. He is many things. Pretty is not one of them. By all accounts he has a head like a robber's dog.

The key to rationality is the ability to analyze. Obviously, this person was not operating rationaly when he chose to go to a healer. A psychological disorder will prohibit someone from acting rationaly. Some have mentioned how can anyone today make such a stupid decision with so much information on the internet. Perhaps he did use the internet. However, someone who is not thinking rationaly would only use the internet to prove his/her decision is the right one. Whereas, someone like you and I would also look for information disproving our decision. Our ability to think rationaly and our ability to analyze the data we researched would allow us to make the correct decision, therefore leading to a pleasable outcome, hopefully.

The mind and thought process is much more difficult than your simple analysis without knowing all the facts.

Dennis,

Seriously babe, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

With the greatest respect you just don't make no sense here, mang. It's a jumble of non-sequiturs and logical fallacies.

MtD

It's actually a very simple premise to something as complex as the thought process and how the brain works.

It bewilders me that some would try to devictimize the actual victim in this case without knowing all the facts.

You're right we don't know all the facts. So we make do with what is before us. You, on the other hand are just making shit up man.

You say he's psychotic. Really what do you have to prove that? Do you really even have a working definition of psychotic?

Where you see a psychotic, we just see some schlubb whose been taken by a con artist. Like all the other idiots who want a cheap cure for an expensive disease.

But by all means prove us wrong.

MtD

With psychology as one of majors, I have a very clear understanding of the term. Since I don't have all the facts, I was careful not to clearly state he suffers from a psychosis. I stated "maybe". Unlike others who clearly state he got what he asked for.

I'll agree to disagree. Just different persons looking at a topic from different angles. Not a bad thing, necessarily.

With psychology as one of majors, I have a very clear understanding of the term. Since I don't have all the facts, I was careful not to clearly state he suffers from a psychosis. I stated "maybe". Unlike others who clearly state he got what he asked for.

I'll agree to disagree. Just different persons looking at a topic from different angles. Not a bad thing, necessarily.

Agreeing to disagree is always good. Perhaps that's the best way sideways.

I'm still interested in knowing your understanding of 'psychotic', though.

With psychology as one of majors, I have a very clear understanding of the term. Since I don't have all the facts, I was careful not to clearly state he suffers from a psychosis. I stated "maybe". Unlike others who clearly state he got what he asked for.

I'll agree to disagree. Just different persons looking at a topic from different angles. Not a bad thing, necessarily.

Agreeing to disagree is always good. Perhaps that's the best way sideways.

I'm still interested in knowing your understanding of 'psychotic', though.

MtD

Simply put, being psychotic refers to someone who suffers from a psychosis. Psychosis in general is any severe mental illness that inteferes with the everyday life of an individual, causing a distortion of reality.

Simply put, being psychotic refers to someone who suffers from a psychosis. Psychosis in general is any severe mental illness that inteferes with the everyday life of an individual, causing a distortion of reality.

Second -- Mrs. Helen may not have broken any laws, but she is clearly someone who preys on either the mentally unstable or the stupid (or probably - both).

I would guess she made a pretty good living doing this too -- there is no dearth of prey for these sorts of folks.

Was he a victim -- sure. Was he a willing participant in this "victimhood" -- probably. Hopefully he'll learn from it and hopefully, others will learn of this woman and avoid being taken in also.

Why he fell for this is of little interest to me, personally - because I dont' think it matters much. No matter his mental condition, she did take advantage of him. I'm guessing he didn't tell any family or friends about it, or they might well have limited the $$ damage -- so if you are keeping this "secret", you probably know at some level that this doesn't make sense (yes -- that is pure speculation on my part). I just hope that it stops others from falling victim to the "miracle cure".

There is nothing about this story to indicate this person is mentally ill. To me he sounds like a desperate person, prone to superstitious thinking, who was preyed upon by a charlatan. It is a ploy that has been used by "psychics" and faith healers for a long time. Was he ripped off? Yep. Should he have known better? Of course.

There is nothing about this story to indicate this person is mentally ill....

Absolutely. Likewise, there was nothing in the printed story entailing that there wasn't. If you watched the accompanying video, you'll notice the "healer" mentioned problems (multiple). So it's possible there is more to this story than what is being reported in this blurb. You'll also notice the victim mentioned he made several withdraws from the bank, signifying he went back more than once.

Now I ask...would someone of sound mind and body be able to be manipulated so easily? To withdraw almost $19,000 over a period of days, make multiple trips, and then complain to a local news station sounds a bit like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia to me. Most rational thinkers, even if initially manipulated, would have come to their senses after their first bank withdraw and first visit to this supposed healer.

How much do some people spend on lottery tickets even though the chances of winning the powerball are MILLIONS-to-one? The people who spend the most money are the people who don't have a lot of money. Why? Because poverty causes desperation, just like being diagnosed with an incurable disease causes desperation.

As to the gent in the article... a fool and his money are soon parted. See Matty's quote. There's millions of folks who "donate" to various con artists in the guise of faith. Many are seeking a miracle cure for some ailment. It's a shame the gent wasted money on a "cure", but he's not the first nor will he be the last to waste time/emotion/resources on such foolishness.

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Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly,Kiss slowly, Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you smile.

How much do some people spend on lottery tickets even though the chances of winning the powerball are MILLIONS-to-one? The people who spend the most money are the people who don't have a lot of money. Why? Because poverty causes desperation, just like being diagnosed with an incurable disease causes desperation.

I agree with you. However, to look at from my perspective, if someone is spending their entire savings on the lottery to the point it is affecting their life negatively, then chances are they have a gambling addiction, also termed pathological gambling; also a form of obsessive compulsive disorder. Therefore, can be considered a mental disorder as well.

Playing the lottery once in a while or when you can afford it is rational. Even spending a small amount of your savings on an alternative treatment could be considered rational, to an extent. Spending your entire income/savings on either of those would be considered irrational, and therefore lead to something a bit more complex occuring with the individuals cognition.